Litter collecting-pulverizing method

ABSTRACT

A method for collecting litter scattered over a course by traversing the course with three elements connected in tandem. A lead element collects the litter during movement along a traverse by picking up the litter with upwardly moving tines and by transferring the litter to an intermediate element which delivers the litter to the trailing element. The trailing element includes a flair drum which has hammer elements pivotally mounted thereon in order to fragmentize the litter by impact and also to drive the litter into a storage location in response to the impact.

United States Patent Inventor Alvin R. Juno Phoenix, Arh. Appl. N01 752,248 Filed Aug. 13, 1968 Division of Ser. No. 537,040, Mar. 24, 1966, Pat. No. 3.449.780 Patented July 27, 1971 Assignee First National Bank Quinn, Tex.

LITTER COLLECTING-PULVERIZING METHOD 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[18. Cl 241/25, 15/84 Int. Cl ..B02c 13/04, B02c 13/286 Field of Search 241/25,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,794 10/ 1 894 Siccardi H 15/84 544,929 8/1895 Porter 15/81 909,576 1/1909 Frost 241/101 2,775,174 12/1956 Petrick 241/154 X Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly A norney Richards. Harris and Hubbard ABSTRACT: A method for collecting litter scattered over a course by traversing the course with three elements connected in tandem. A lead element collects the litter during movement along a traverse by picking up the litter with upwardly moving tines and by transferring the litter to an intermediate element which delivers the litter to the trailing element. The trailing element includes a flair drum which has hammer elements pivotally mounted thereon in order to fragmentize the litter by impact and also to drive the litter into a storage location in response to the impact.

PATENTEO JUL27 Ian sum 1m 2 PATENTED JUL27 L9?! SHEET 2 BF 2 qT mm m: mm 26 x w: M mm LITTER COLLECTING-PULVERIZING METHOD This is a division of application Ser. No. 537,040, filed Mar. 24, 1966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,780 issued June 17, I969.

A wide variety of articles are carelessly or maliciously left on public thoroughfares. As a result, a constantly increasing cost for maintaining such thoroughfares in a sightly condition has been experienced. Highway maintenance operations dealing solely with the litter problem are of such magnitude as to require mechanized operations. Various rock-picking devices and litter-handling systems have been proposed. In order to handle the materials generally encountered, it has been found desirable to mechanically work the materials for collection thereof to reduce the size so that a given unit can operate longer without having to discontinue operations for unloading purposes.

Thus in accordance with the present invention, a system is provided in which a plurality of ranks of tines move forward relative to a carrier over a terrain passing beneath the carrier. The invention involves supporting the tines in ranks transversely to span the traverse. In one aspect, a brush spanning the traverse is reciprocated vertically along the forward point of the traverse of each rank of tines and in synchronism with movement thereof for downward movement ahead of the ranks of tines as each rank begins its upward motion from beneath the carrier.

In a further aspect of the invention, debris received from the tines as they travel over the top of the array is worked and propelled into a carrier storage unit. Preferably the latter provision involves the use of ahigh-speed flail drum.

For more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a unit embodying the present inventron;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the unit of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates one arrangement for mounting and propelling the unit of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a system is illustrated in which a truck 10, having a storage compartment 11, is provided with a collector unit 12. The storage compartment 11 has an inlet duct 13 near the upper edge of the front face thereof. The storage compartment 11 is actuated by a hydraulic unit 110 to facilitate unloading by pivoting the storage compartment 11 about an axis near the rear axle of the truck. The collector 12 is adapted to pick up and deliver debris to a chute 14 which directs the debris upwardly at an angle through the cab of the truck and which joins with the inlet 13.

Litter accumulated, as along the edge of a roadway, is directed and deposited in the compartment in such condition that large quantities collected from a substantial area can be handled before the compartment must be unloaded. When filled, the collector 12 is retracted or elevated so that the truck may be driven to a dump where the storage compartment is unloaded.

The present invention is primarily directed to features of the system including the collector 12 and the debris-working elements, and the cooperation therebetween.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the chute 14 extends upwardly at an angle and is mounted from the frame of the vehicle 10 at the front thereof. The chute is pivotally mounted relative to the portion 140 for rotation on a horizontal axis 15 located at the upper margin of the chute 14. The chute I4 is coupled to the frame of the vehicle 10 by a hydraulic cylinder 18 which is coupled to a linkage 19 at the bottom of the chute 14. A

The motor 20 is powered from hydraulic lines (not shown) leading from a suitable supply'system in the vehicle 10. The flail druni serves as a hammer mill to pulverize any debris placed therein and to project the same upward along the chute 14 into the storage compartment. The drum 25 rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

Adjacent to the mouth ofthe compartment 32 in which the drum 25 is mounted, is a paddle wheel 33. The paddle wheel 33 is mounted for rotation on shaft 34 and includes a plurality of rubber blades 35. The paddle wheel 33 rotates in a clockwise direction and is powered by way ofa belt 36 leading from a hydraulic motor 37. A small pulley 38 (FIG. 3) on shaft 34 is coupled by belt 39 to a large pulley 40 whichis mounted on a shaft 41. A sprocket wheel 42 mounted on shaft 41 is coupled by way of a chain 43 to a sprocket wheel 44 mounted on shaft 440. The chain 43 also passes over an idler 42a. The shaft 440 is keyed to a cam 45.

A pair of sprocket chains 46 and 47 are driven by sprockets mounted on shaft 41. The chains 46 and 47 travel over a guide such as guide 48, FIG. 2, as to follow an oval path.

In this embodiment, at least five transverse bars 50-54 serve to interconnect chains 46 and 47. Bars 5054 are located at five equally spaced points along the length of the chains 46 and 47. The bars 5054 each support a plurality of sets of tines 5660, respectively. A plurality of tines are in each set and are pivoted on the respective bars. Each tine is resiliently biased toward the position represented by the tine 60, FIG. 2. A runner 61 normally slides along the ground. During passage of the chains 46 and 47 in the forward traverse, the tines may yield and bend backwards, as in the position represented by tine 57. As the tines move forward, they carry debris in the forward direction. As the tines become free of the earth s surface, they then move forward and upward carrying debris therein. The debris is carried up over the top course of the chain travel and is then dumped into the compartments between the paddles on the paddle wheel 33. The paddle wheel 33 delivers the debris into the compartment occupied by the hammer mill or flail drum 25. The material is then worked and fragmented by impact of the hammers 26-29 and at the same time is propelled by impact upwardly through the chute.

The shaft 41 and the elements of the system located forward of the shaft 41 are mounted on a frame 65 which includes an arm 66 which is pivoted on the shaft 34. Thus, the portion of the system supported by runner 61 may be rotated on shaft 34 to be elevated above the earth and free from contact with the earth. Further, the hydraulic cylinder 18 can be actuated to control the elevation of the flail drum 25 A shaft 70 is mounted in a suitable bearing on the frame 65 and supports a cam follower arm 71 having a cam follower 72 at the end thereof. The cam follower 72 follows the cam 45 as it rotates. The shaft 70 also is keyed to an arm 74 which supports a vertically extending brush 75 at the extremity thereof. The brush is caused to oscillate up and down in synchronism with the cam 45. The cam 45 rotates five times for each complete rotation of the chains 46 and 47. Thus, the movement of the brush 75 is synchronized with the upward travel of each of the sets of tines 56-60. The movement of the brush 75 is so timed that is descends as each set of tines experiences upward movement. The tips of the tines slide along the rear surface of the bristles of the brush 75. The brush 75 thus serves to prevent debris from falling out of the tines as they travel upward. As the tines are in their forward movement, compound movement is produced by the chains 46 and 47 and the springs coupled thereto. The brush serves as a batter board for material that would be thrown forward by the tines as they are moved under spring tension. As a result, the material collected in the tines will be cupped in the trough formed by the tines and will be carried to the paddle wheel.

A pair of brushes are mounted along the side of the upper traverse of the chains 46 and 47 so that the debris will not spill off from the sides.

A pair of bars 81 and 82 are pivoted from the frame 65 and extend forwardly and outwardly from each side of the unit to collect material into the zone swept by the tines. As best seen in FIG. 3, bars 81 and 82 each carry a plurality of blades pivoted at their forward end and serving to wipe along a surface on the trailing ends. More particularly, bar 81 has three pivoted blades 84-86. Bar 82 has three pivoted blades 87 89. A ball-shaped roller 90 is positioned on the end of the bar 81, and a similar roller 91 is mounted on the end of the bar 82. Chains 92 and 93 serve to control the angle at which the bars 81 and 82 extend from the system.

The scraper blades 84--89 are pivotally mounted at their forward ends on arms 81 and 82. More particularlyfla pivot pin 130 serves to mount the scraper blade 84 so that the trailing edge may rest on the surface over which the arm 81 passes. The remaining blades are similarly mounted. Thus, the blades serve to scrape the surface and move debris inward to the zone traversed by the tines.

A bar 100 is pivoted on pin 101 at its lower end and is this supported by the flail drum housing 32. The bar 100 is maintained in a predetermined attitude by a chain 102. The upper end of the bar 100 is coupled by way of a spring 103 to the frame 65. The spring serves to control the drag between the runner 61 and the earths surface. A chain 105 serves to limit the extent to which the frame 65 may rotate on shaft 41.

A forwardly extending canopy 110 is mounted on the front face of the housing for the flail drum 25 and extends over the paddle wheel.

The sets of tines, as shown in FIG. 3, are mounted in a spaced-apart relation. For example, tines 59a;59j are mounted on the bar 53. The tines are mounted to rotate on the bar 53 and are spaced apart by spacer ribs 1l1-l19. Each tine is mated with a stop. For example, the stop 120, on the bar 53, cooperates with tine 59b to limit the rotational movement of tine 59b in, a clockwise direction. A spring (not shown) mounted on the bar 53 urges the tine 59b against the stop 120. The spring and stop arrangement on the bar 53 permit limited rotation of the tines in a counterclockwise direction when necessary to clear the terrain over which the set of tines is drawn.

It will be recognized that the foregoing description is illustrative of one embodiment of the invention and that modifications may be made therein. However, by way of example, in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, the flail drum 25 was driven at a speed of about 1,500 rpm.

The paddle wheel 33 was driven at a speed of about l50 r.p.m.

The shafts 5054 were driven at a speed of about 25 cycles per minute. The cam 45 rotated in synchronism with the shafts 50-54 to oscillate the brush 75 at a frequency of cycles per minute. It will be appreciated that the foregoing may be varied and that power may be applied to the various rotating elements in a manner different from that shown herein, and that other variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of handling litter which comprises:

a. moving a vehicle along a path to be cleaned,

b. automatically picking up litter from the earth surface along said path across said surface traversed by said vehicle and transporting said litter to a treating zone in said vehicle,

c. fragmentizing by impact the litter delivered to said zone,

and

d. projecting the fragmentized litter upward and rearward in said vehicle in response to said impact into a trailing storage zone.

2. The method of handling litter scattered over a path to be cleaned comprising:

a. moving a vehicle along said ath b. picking up litter along said path with forwardly and upwardly moving tines carried by said vehicle,

0. moving brushes downwardly immediately ahead of said tines in synchronism with the upward movement of said tines for facilitating the pickup of said litter by said tines,

d. transporting litter from said tines to a treating zone,

e. fragmentizing by impact the litter delivered to said zone,

and v f. projecting the fragmentized litter upwardly and rearwardly into a storage zone in said vehicle in response to said impact.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of fragmentizing comprises:

impacting the litter within said treating zone with pivoted hammer elements rotatably moved about a circular path. 

2. The method of handling litter scattered over a path to be cleaned comprising: a. moving a vehicle along said path, b. picking up litter along said path with forwardly and upwardly moving tines carried by said vehicle, c. moving brushes downwardly immediately ahead of said tines in synchronism with the upward movement of said tines for facilitating the pickup of said litter by said tines, d. transporting litter from said tines to a treating zone, e. fragmentizing by impact the litter delivered to said zone, and f. projecting the fragmentized litter upwardly and rearwardly into a storage zone in said vehicle in response to said impact.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of fragmentizing comprises: impacting the litter within said treating zone with pivoted hammer elements rotatably moved about a circular path. 